Chapter 13: Pride, Sincerity, and Worn-out Wrappers

Bragging na one thing, but to dey mock me too?

I dey count my patience. Na only so much I fit take.

Even tortoise get limit!

If to say I be tortoise, I for don hide head inside shell.

I kick Folarin for waist, wan push am from bed, but he just catch my ankle with tail!

Fox spirit move fast. Na tail grip strong.

"You too dey change mood anyhow, na bad habit!"

He dey try lecture me. But na him first start the wahala.

That soft fox fur dey everywhere, I dey get goosebumps!

Na soft, na tickle. For bush, na only fox fit cause this.

I no fit take am: "Wetin you wan talk, abeg stop to dey waste time!"

My patience dey short. Na small thing remain make I slap am.

Folarin mouth move, I see am talk small, like "You go gree..." but he swallow am!

He dey fear his own words. Fox spirit pride.

He stare me long, like say he wan use eye drill enter my head!

If dem dey give award for stubbornness, Folarin go win.

After, he sigh, raise my chin!

His touch gentle, but his eye sharp. I dey melt small.

"Ngozi, wetin I dey try talk be say, as I don be spirit king, my value no be as before!"

He dey try set record straight. Na new fox be this.

"I know say you come mortal world to grow feelings, and I believe say na me fit make you grow am! Last night na mistake, but if you wan sleep with me again, you go show sincerity!"

He dey set boundary, dey protect spirit king dignity.

Me: "...Ehn?"

I dey shock. I no expect this kain requirement.

No be say spirit world don poor reach this level?

I dey ask myself if fox spirit dey act human drama now.

Spirit king dey hustle for that kind thing?

Even for bush, na odd thing.

As I dey shock, Folarin cough, then pose:

Na pride dey show. Him cough dey dramatic.

"No go think say na because I never forget you! I just swear say I go personally break your heartless path!"

He dey swear oath. I dey see fire for him eye.

Ehen, na that one make sense!

I breathe out!

I dey thank my chi say no be pure love dey trouble am, na revenge.

Fear catch me, I think say Folarin really like me, like me reach say after three hundred years, he no fit let go!

That kain love dey heavy. My mind dey dodge am.

For that selfless spirit, I touch, but I gats refuse!

I dey respect his pride, but my own pride dey fight too.

For spirit king dignity, I talk am gently:

I lower my voice, show small respect.

"I appreciate am, but e no too convenient!"

For my mind, I dey find excuse to escape.

Folarin grit teeth, smile: "Wetin no convenient?"

His smile cold, but his eyes dey search my face.

Ehn, this one!

I dey reason if wahala fit end today.

"I dey ask too much? I fit reduce my standard, but I be spirit king, I no fit too bend for you!"

Fox spirit no dey beg easily. Na pride dey guide am.

"Why you dey quiet, you need help to grow feelings, make you try small, no dey make me always dey push!"

Him voice dey shake. E dey try control himself.

"You never think to make up with me? I just dey ask! You never? Okay, if you never, forget am, I no too care, e funny!"

He dey hide pain with joke. Na old spirit trick.

"...No, really, wetin no convenient, talk, no let me beg you!"

I dey feel small pity. Fox ears dey press down for my hand.

Those fox ears wey I always like, Folarin press am for my hand!

The ears soft, I rub am small. Na old habit.

I rub am twice, wan answer, but he quick collect talk again.

He no dey let me breathe. Pride dey run fast.

"Okay, you no gats apologize, after all, e no be your fault that time, na heavenly law cause am..."

For the first time, I see say he dey defend me. Spirit king with soft heart.

This time, I shock!

I no expect am. My heart jump small.

I never know say, for wetin happen three hundred years ago, Folarin dey think like this!

E dey blame heaven, no be me. The thing shock me.

He rather blame heavenly law than say I wicked!

Na pure spirit loyalty. Na love wey pass mouth.

But na me!

I dey fight tears. My heart dey betray me.

"Why you quiet?" Folarin pause, ears drop, "Okay, I go apologize, I no suppose talk rough before, I just miss you too much!"

Even fox pride dey bend small. Him eye dey red, voice dey low.

Folarin look up, meet my eye well well!

Eye contact strong, my body dey shake. Spirit connection dey tight.

I always like his eyes, fox eyes wey dey seductive but still pure, like say fox immortal wey touch mortal world but still clean. Any time Folarin wan drag me do dual cultivation, as long as he blink, I no fit say no!

My weakness dey for his eye. Old gist, old wahala.

But this time, the eyes no bring desire, but something deeper!

Na feeling I no fit name. Maybe na love, maybe na pain.

I no fit talk wetin e be, since I no get feelings, all emotion dey dull for me!

Na spirit trial. Na only heart go judge.

But my body just fear to think am, like say if I understand, I no go fit waka my own road again!

I dey fear the power of old love.

That one no good!

Spirit path no dey mix with mortal heart.

So I gently let go, push Folarin tail:

I free myself, small small.

"Wetin no convenient... ehn, my fiancé fit no like am!"

I use small joke dodge wahala. For bush, na joke fit save person.

Folarin mouth open, he no fit talk for long!

Fox spirit shock na real.

"Fiancé?"

His eye dey wide. For spirit world, na big news be that.

He just look me, lost: "You get fiancé now, so wetin I be?"

E pain am. I dey see am for face. For my mind, I dey reason how I go answer, but wahala don dey start new leg.

The air choke, my answer stuck for throat—wahala just wear new wrapper.